To turn off the Microsoft Store app promotions described in the April 2024 Windows 11 rollout, open Settings > Personalization > Start and switch off Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more. The rollout tied to update KB5036980 is a past event, not a new rollout to all users in 2026; the exact controls you see can vary by Windows version and update.
Turn off app promotions in the Start menu
- Open Settings. You can press Windows key + I.
- Go to Personalization > Start.
- Turn off Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more.
This setting targets the app promotions in Start’s Recommended area. If the wording or controls differ on your PC, install available Windows updates and check the Start settings again; Microsoft changes settings pages over time.
What the 2024 rollout included
On April 24, 2024, reports connected the Start menu app recommendations to the KB5036980 non-security update for Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 23H2. The reported builds were 22621.3527 and 22631.3527. The update was distributed in phases, so the headline’s “all users” wording did not mean every person saw the same item at the same time. Neowin’s April 24, 2024 report describes recommendations in Start that could include files, recently installed apps, tips, and app promotions.
The app promotions were Microsoft Store app suggestions. Microsoft said the apps would come from a small set of curated developers and were intended to help users discover apps available in the Store, as reported by 9to5Google on April 24, 2024. This historical rollout should not be mistaken for a new 2026 announcement.
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Hide the entire Recommended section on supported newer builds
Some newer Start menus offer a broader choice: hide the whole Recommended section rather than only switching off app promotions. Windows Central reported this option for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 builds 26100.7019 and 26200.7019, with availability rolling out in stages. If the control is present, open Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off the options in the Recommended group. The change can also remove recent files and other Recommended content, not just Store app suggestions. Windows Central’s report describes the newer Start menu changes; the option may not be available on every device or build.
How the privacy controls differ
| Control | What it changes | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Start app recommendations | Turns off the app-promotion recommendations associated with the 2024 rollout. | Settings > Personalization > Start; switch off Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more. |
| Hide Recommended section | On supported newer builds, hides the broader section, which can include recent files and other recommendations as well as app suggestions. | Settings > Personalization > Start; turn off the options under Recommended if available. |
| Personalized offers | Changes whether Windows uses information to personalize tips, ads, and recommendations; it is not the specific Start app-promotion switch. | On current versions, Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers. |
| Advertising ID | Controls ad personalization through the advertising ID. Microsoft says turning it off does not reduce the number of ads; ads may instead be less relevant. | See Microsoft’s Windows 11 Recommendations & offers privacy guidance. |
Microsoft documents the current personalized-offers control as Get personalized tips, ads, and recommendations based on my Windows activity under Settings > Privacy & security > Personalized offers. The page name and location can differ by Windows update: Microsoft says the older General privacy page is being replaced by Recommendations & offers on newer versions. For details on the information used and the distinction between personalization and ad quantity, consult Microsoft’s Recommendations & offers privacy settings and General privacy settings in Windows.
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Other Start prompts are controlled separately
Notifications in the Start account area—such as prompts to back up a device, reauthenticate, manage cloud storage, or review Microsoft 365 or Xbox subscriptions—are distinct from Microsoft Store app recommendations. Microsoft documents a separate Start policy for administrators to disable account notifications; it is not the consumer toggle for app promotions. See Microsoft Learn’s Start policy settings.
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